Merlin could not move so he just lay silently on the ground. The flame sprite watched Merlin and quietly said, "You're gravely injured. I'm not sure how long I can wait for you to recover."
Merlin's heart was pounding. His wound was extremely serious, and it would take a long time for his strong physique to recover even slightly.
So, Merlin said to the flame sprite, "If there's any way you could help me recover quicker, I could start cultivating Fiery Collapse sooner. Once that's done, I could reach the second form of Fiery Collapse and you'll finally be able to leave this flame-shaped statue and be free."
Merlin knew that this flame sprite was wise but it was no more intelligent than an average person. It had been trapped in this ancient tower for over three thousand years and would want to leave. However, no one has ever met the requirements of the master of the ancient monument, let alone cultivate the second form of Fiery Collapse.
